A SHOPLIFTER who went on a stealing spree after her children were taken into care has narrowly avoided jail.

Joanna Jones, 37, of Park Street, Penrhiwceiber, pleaded guilty to stealing a £70 pair of boots from Dimples Daisies and Dandelions in High Street, Pontypridd, on December 15.

She also admitted stealing electric toothbrushes and make up from Lloyd’s Pharmacy in Taff Vale Precinct, a Winnie The Pooh toy from the Christmas Shop in the Precinct and toiletries from Holland and Barrett in Taff Street, Pontypridd.

Prosecutor Stephen Head said that it was a “straightforward matter,” and that Jones had admitted the thefts when she was stopped and during interview.

Mr Head told the court: “The defendant entered the store on December 15 and having picked out the boots, put them in a carrier bag that she already had with her and left the store without paying.

“When she was stopped, the defendant fully admitted the offence and admitted to the other shoplifting offences through her own volition, for which she should be given credit, as there was no evidence against her.”

But Mr Head told Pontypridd Magistrates’ Court that Jones had a “quite lengthy antecedent history” which related to shoplifting stretching back 20 years.

The offence was also in breach of a community order given for a theft conviction in July which required probation service supervision.

Defending solicitor Tony Alonzi said that Jones had been “doing well”, but had seen her two children – aged six and seven – taken into care and that she had been depressed since and had turned to self harm.

Mr Alonzi said: “She says that on the day in question she had been without medication, she had been to the doctor to get some but that staff there had refused to give her a repeat prescription.”

Following a report from the probation service, presiding magistrate Gayle Evans revoked the supervision order from July and sentenced Jones to a 12-month Intensive Alternative to Custody order (IAC) with an activity requirement for Education, Training and Employment.

She also imposed a daily curfew between the hours of 9pm and 7am for 28 days and ordered Jones to pay costs of £85.